Postal scale are well known in the art; simple spring scales with scale charts which map a weight range into one or more postal rates having existed for decades. More recently, with the increased availability of solid state microprocessors, load cells and low-cost analog-to-digital (A/D) converters it has become feasible to provide electronic, digital postal scales with greatly increased capabilities. Such scales range from simple inexpensive scales with maximum weight capacities of about one pound and a limited selection of postal rates to scales with maximum weight capacities of one hundred pounds or more, the ability to compute large selections of postal rates, zip-to-zone conversion, special service fees, and other capabilities. Further, postal scales having more extensive capabilities also frequently include the capacity to connect to electronic postage meters to set appropriate values, and to be connected to other mailroom equipment, such as electronic postal accounting systems and journal printers.
Because the capabilities a various models of postage scale are so different; capabilities tending to grow as the maximum weight capacity for a scale increased, each model scale for a particular manufacture has been largely a unique design with little commonality of components between models. And, of course, this has applied even more strongly between postal scales and other mailroom equipment such as electronic accounting systems.
As capabilities grew additional programming features where required, storage of additional postage rates was necessary and the keyboard and display configurations provided to the operator might change. For example, in a relatively low range, low cost scale a numeric keypad might be used to enter all the necessary information, such as class of service, zip code of destination, special services, etc., needed to compute the appropriate postage. In a larger scale with a greater maximum weight capacity more capabilities might be included; more classes of service, a larger number of special services, etc., and a more complex keyboard and display, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,325, to: Dlugos et al, might be provided.
Heretofore, their diversity of function has led to a diversity of design in mailroom products. Thus, it is an object of the subject invention to provide increased commonality of components among various postal scale products as well as other mailroom systems.
It is a more particular object of the subject invention to provide an electronics module which is capable of handling computational and communications functions for a broad line of postal scale products and other mailroom products.
Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the detailed description set forth below and of the attached drawings.